France, May 2, 2004

The return of Christophe Moreau

Back on top after injury-plagued spring

France's Christophe Moreau (Crédit Agricole) climbed his way back to
the top after another in a series of forgettable early seasons derailed by injury.
This year it was during a pre-season training camp that Moreau injured his knee,
delaying his entry into competition and thwarting his progress as his rivals
rode their way into their best condition for the summer stage races. Moreau
helped spark the early attack in Sunday's Trophée des Grimpeurs and kept
himself at or near the front for the entire race, launching one more decisive
attack in the closing laps of the 133 kilometre circuit race.

The Trophée des Grimpeurs, or "climber's trophy", is run on an unforgiving
8.3km circuit, tackling the short but steep Côte de l'Ermitage 17 times
in just over three hours of racing. More than a pure climber's race, however,
Grimpeurs favours the 'puncheurs', strong riders capable of launching and responding
to constant attacks, whether on the climb or elsewhere on a circuit that offers
few flat kilometres.

"Winning the Trophée des Grimpeurs today was the farthest thing in my
mind, but in the end I had a lot of encouragement," Moreau said after his win.
"It's good for the morale, just before the Four Days of Dunkerque, and it's
a nice payback for the work I've done [to come back]. The progress isn't finished,
and I hope to be even stronger at the Tour."

How it unfolded

Moreau went on the attack early, sparking a three man move in the opening laps
of the Argenteuil/Sannois circuit, followed by Jean-Cyril Robin (FDJeux.com)
and Irish national champion Mark Scanlon (Ag2r-Prévoyance). The trio
opened the gap at the right time, early enough for the peloton to let them gain
a little ground. Missing from the move was the Brioches La Boulangère
team, however, and with three wins in the event in last three years, directeur
sportif Jean-René Bernaudeau was not about to let Crédit Agricole
walk away with the win this year. Jérôme Pineau, Sylvain Chavanel,
Anthony Geslin, and defending champion Didier Rous were all active in the chase,
forcing selections from the rapidly dwindling field and bridging the gaps to
each successive attack.

After several laps of relative freedom, Moreau, Robin, and Scanlon were caught
by the Boulangère chase group, which also included Ag2r's Erki Putsep,
Patrice Halgand (Crédit Agricole), and Freddy Bichot and Jérémy
Roy (FDJeux.com), among others. With a small starting field of just 74 riders,
La Boulangère was eager to continue to weed out as many riders as possible
in the lead group, and repeated accelerations from Pineau and teammate Laurent
Lefèvre tightened the grip.

The biggest challenge to La Boulangère's fourth consecutive win looked
to come from Philippe Gilbert, one of several up and coming young riders on
former Grimpeurs winner Marc Madiot's FDJeux.com team. Circuit de la Sarthe
winner Thomas Lövkvist, after a rocky start, steadily found his legs over
the 17 climbs of the Côte de l'Ermitage, working his way closer to the
leaders throughout the race.

While Gilbert was quick to respond to Pineau's repeated attacks, and put in
a few of his own, he wasn't able to set himself apart on the undulating circuit.
A brief split with Pineau looked promising but the move went too early and neither
rider was ready to fully commit with six laps remaining. Pineau finally attacked
again in the closing laps, once more taking Gilbert with him, but also Moreau.
Despite being out front for nearly the entire race, Moreau still had the legs
to launch one more effort and drop his two companions, who quickly lost ground
as they shadowed each other, perhaps unconvinced of Moreau's ability to go the
distance so soon after his injury comeback.

Scanlon was also still present, riding with Chavanel but too far to challenge
for the podium. Fourth and fifth places were up for grabs, and the surprising
Scanlon would ultimately put his sprinter's strength to good effect on the short
grinds up the Ermitage climb.

By the final lap, Moreau was clear and on his way to an uplifting win. Pineau,
meanwhile, grew increasingly frustrated by what he considered foolish team tactics
as La Boulangère continued to ride for Rous behind rather than support
his own efforts closer to the head of the race. Ultimately Gilbert beat Pineau
for second place, and the Frenchman shook his head in discouragement as he crossed
the line 13 seconds behind the Belgian, 1'23 behind winner Moreau.

Women's race

Held on the same circuit as the men's race, the women's peloton assembled a
larger field for the event as 89 starters covered seven laps of the course.
Heading into the race, the two top favourites were the ever present Jeannie
Longo-Ciprelli (Paris Cycliste Olympique), Flèche Wallonne winner and
French national champion Sonia Huguet (Comité de Moselle). Longo quite
simply repeated a scene that has now been displayed 850 times in her career,
taking a convincing win by nearly a minute over last year's winner Magali Le
Floc'h (Comité Champagne Ardenne) with a resurgent Marion Clignet another
eight seconds behind.

Although she took the final trophy, it was not Longo who initiated the winning
move, rather Clignet, in the midst of preparations for world championship and
Olympic competition on the track. At the end of the first lap, Clignet attacked
the peloton and only three women could respond: Longo, Le Floc'h, and Alexandra
Le Hénaff (V.S. Quimpérois). Enjoying a good start to the day,
Clignet attacked again on the second lap. She was marked by Longo and Le Floc'h
but Le Hénaff fell off the pace.

Over the course of the next three laps, the lead trio steadily widened the
advantage over a rapidly disintegrating peloton. The main field was quickly
reduced from 89 to barely 30, and despite several accelerations from Magalie
Finot (Bourgogne) and Marina (Pays de Loire), nobody could muster the strength
to chase the leaders.

Each climb of the Côte de l'Ermitage offered Longo a chance to put the
pressure on and test her companions, but it wasn't until the final ascent that
she was able to drop Le Floc'h and Clignet to take the win and consolidate her
Coupe de France lead. It was all over for the struggling peloton, but Zlatica
Gavlakova (E.S. Gervais Lilas) took found some solace in the field sprint win
for 4th place.

Longo explained at the finish that the Olympic Games have been her sole objective
of the season, but the Trophée des Grimpeurs was a pleasant bonus and
she remains motivated to defend the series lead at the fifth and final round
of the Coupe de France in Brétagne on July 4.